Internal combustion engines recirculate exhaust gas to engine intake systems to reduce peak combustion temperatures to manage engine-out emissions. Known systems accomplish such recirculation using exhaust gas flow control systems that are internal to the combustion chamber and external recirculation systems referred to as exhaust gas recirculation (‘EGR’) systems. EGR gas flowrate, engine intake air characteristics, and pressure and temperature dynamics in the engine intake affect mass ratio of EGR gas and fresh air in the intake and in a cylinder charge, thus affecting combustion temperature, engine power, and engine-out emissions. The effect on the mass ratio of EGR gas and fresh air increases at high EGR dilution levels, such as can occur during lean-idle operation of a spark-ignition direct-injection engine.